Refrigerator



G. H. ELLIS REFRIGERATOR Aug. 25, 1931.

z SReets-Sheet INVAfNToR GEOR6E H. 14.15 yfi v Filed. Nov. 26, 1928 A r-rokyzx G.' H. ELLIS REFRIGERATOR Filed Nov. 192a {Sheets-Sheet 2 VINVENTOR GEORGE H. ELL/S A TORNEMS bers are, in practically all cases,

porcelain enamel during the assem Patented Aug. 25, 1931' GEORGE E. ELLIS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A

Assmuoa 'ro 'rnr. msULf'rE COMPANY, CORPORATION 01 umunso'ra 'nnrmem'roa Application fled November 26, 1928. Serial No. 321,927.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerator walls.

Refrigerators of small dimensions such, for example, as are'commonly employed in homes and similar places, are usually of rectangular cross-section, thereof often comprise inner and outer metallic wall members, spaced apart to re: ceive an insulating filler therebetween. It is to refrigerators of this type that this invention is more particularly applicable. exposed surfaces of the metallic wall memfinished with a porcelain enamel which is very hard and usually quite brittle. During the process of finishing the ex os'ed surfaces of the inner and outer metal ic wall members, a suitable enamel is applied thereto, after which the metal is brou ht to a 'very high temperature, about a re heat; This often causes the metal to warp, bulge, or get out of true, and hence, if the insulation is not compressible so that it will yield at a. force less than which is required to spring the of the casing members, thewalls of these members will'be caused to yieldbulged portions or bend to fracture the enamel andloosen por tions thereof from the surfaces of the members, thus rendering said members unfit for use. Utilization of comparatively rigid insulation necessitates the provision of a con.- siderable amount of'clearance between the metallic wall members andthe insulation to permit insertion of the insulation without causing distortion of the wall 'members. Such construction results in the formation of air spaces between the wall members and the insulation tending to allow convection to take place. to lower the efliciency of the structure. To avoid cracking or damaging the ling of the refrigerator walls, the wall members and insulating units should be so constructed as to permit assembling thereof without bending .or distorting the enameled metallic wall members, and at the same time a com arrangement, precluding the presence air spaces between the wall members and the insulation, shouldbe afforded.

The spaces. between the inner and outer and the walls The coated or act- ,manufacture of the; filler members, or

members. of refrigerator walls, as now manufactured, are usually filled with an insulating material such, for example, as cork, which more or less solid in cross-section, and .does

not readily yield to pressure. When such an incompressible filler is usedin the construc-' tion of refrigerator walls, particularly the walls of a small refrigerator, it is often difficult in assembling the wall parts to avoid cracking or' damaging the porcelain finish or enamel applied to the outer surfaces of the wall members. It is highly desirable that the insulating filler possess sufficient compressibility and flexibility that it will'yield under pressure during assembling of the parts, so as to allow for variations and irregularities oc-. curring bers, andalso in the filler material or units.

To avoid cracking or damaging of the in the manufacture of the wall memfinish of the metallic wall members, I p ovide between these members, a plurality-of insulating slabs, panels, or boards, arranged in spaced relation and preferably secured together to form an insulati'n unit for each wall as shown in Figure 3. hese insulating units take the place of the usual solid insulating filler now commonly used in refrigerator walls. The insulating slabs, panels, or. boards of each unit are spaced apart by suitable means such as furring strips, also of ,insulatin material, which arearrangedin staggere or offset relation to allow the insulating slabs, panels, thus. spacing apart the insulating slabs, panels, or boards of each unit, the latter will ex or yield, when subjected to ressure by the metallic wall members, cause by. irregularities and variations in the manufacture An object of the invention is to construct a refrigerator wall having an inner and an outer wall member spaced apart to receive an insulatin filler therebetween and comprising a p urality of comparatively stifii', sli htly compressible insulating slabs, panels, or ards arranged in spaced relation to permit the filler to compress or yield when subjected to pressure, caused by variationsin tlfie t e wall members, or both, so that the structure or boards to flex, By

I may be assembled without danger of cracking or damaging the usual porcelain finish of the wall members.

A further object is to provide an insulatingv unit or filler consisting of a pluralit of comparatively stifi', slightly compressible slabs, panels, or boards spaced apart by fu-rring strips which are arranged in sta gered or offset relation between different sla s, panels, or boards of the unit or filler, whereby the furring strips between the different slabs, panels, or boards will not be directly over eachother and a spring-like action of the slightly com ressible slabs, panels, or boards will be affor ed.

A further object is to provide a refrigerator comprising a plurality of walls of general rectilinear conformation and having doors provided in the upper wall thereof and in one of the upright walls, wherein the refrigerator walls will be defined by inner and outer metallic wall members arranged one within the other and spaced apart to receive an insulating filler therebetween and comprising a plurality of insulating slabs", panels, or boards secured together in spaced relation to provide insulating units one or more of which is adapted for use in each wall and preferably in each door, and wherein the insulating units will be. adapted to interlock with one another at the corners of the refrigerator in a manner to permit the insulating units to yield or flex under pressure, whereby the inner and outer wall members and the in-' sulating units may be assembled together without dangerof cracking or damaging the usual porcelain enamel or finish provided Epon the exposed surfaces of the wall memers.-

A further object is to provide a refrigerator having an outer wall member of irregular configuration and an inner wall member of substantially similar irregular configuration and fitted into said outer wall member in spaced relation thereto to allow insertion between said inner and outer wall members of a plurality of insulating units each comprising two or more insulating slabs, panels,

or boards secured together in spaced rela-,

Figure 1 is a. vertical sectional view show outer metallic members of the refrigerator wall. a

In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, there is illustrated'in Figure 1, a refrigerator comprising a food chamber 2 and a refrigerant chamber 3, separated by a grid-like bottom 4. A drain pan 5, in the upper part of the chamber 2, empties into a drain pipe 6 leading downwardly through the food chamber and through the bottom of the refrigerator. The type of refrigerator here shown, comprises an upper door 7 through which the refrigerant such as the ice 8, may be introduced into the chan1ber3. A door 9' is provided for the food chamber 2.

The walls of the refrigerator are defined by an outer generally rectilinear wall member 11 and an inner generallyrectilinear wall member 12, spaced apart preferably about as shown 'to receive a suitable filler therebetween adapted to insulate the walls to render them non-conductive to heat. The outer wall member 11 is preferably constructed as a single piece and desirably has an opening 13 in the upper portion thereof through which the inner wall member 12 can be inserted and in which the door 7 is located. An opening 14 provided in the front wall of the refrigerator receives the door 9. The inner member 12 is also preferably constructed as a single piece desirably having its upper open portion 15 flared outwardly and provided with a marginal flange 16,

adapted to overlie and engage the inwardly turned annular flange 17 provided upon the upper portion of the outer wall member 11. The inner wall member 12 is provided with an opening 18 which registers with the opening 14 'inthe outer wall member lL I I A plate 19 of construction as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is seated against flanges 21 and 22 provided upon the outer and inner wall members 11 and 12, respectively, and is secured thereto by suitable screws or rivets 23. This plate provides a seat for the door 9. A similar plate 24 is secured to the outwardly flared wall portion 15 of the inner member 12 to provide a. seat for the upper door 7. The plate 24 is similarly secured to uio III

the wall portion 15 by similar screws or rivv res 'wise comprise a plurality of insulating slabs,

boards 32, 33, 34, and 35, similarly furring strips 36, The same arrangement of the filler material is also employed'in the construction of the bottom wall of the refrigerator and the upper panels, or spaced apart by front wall portion thereof, as shown in Fig ure 1.

In the manufacture of the refrigerator. walls, the insulating slabs, panels or boards used in the construction of each wall are preferably assembled ure 3. These units are then inserted into the outer wall member 11, in their respective places, preferably with their engaging edges interloc ing as best shown at the top of the sheet in Figure '2. The inner wall member 12 is then inserted between the filler units through the opening at the upper end of the pressing or flexin outer wall member. As the inner wall member is shoved downwardly into lacebetween the filler units, variations in t e shapes or sizes of the members 11 and 12, or in the filler units, will be compensated for by the comof the panels constituting the insulating units, thereby eliminating all danger of the enamel finish of the wall members becoming damaged or cracked, a common occurrence when the filler material is substantially non-flexible or incompressible.

The doors of the refrigerator are insulated in a similar manner. Bevel strips 37 preferably of insulating material, are provided around the door openings, and also in the doors, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to fill the spaces atthe ends of the insulating panels. The insulating panels 38, 39 and 40, 41 provided in the upper'portion of the front wall, above the door 9, are preferably independently and 12, that is, the panels 38- and 39 are inserted as one unit, and the panels 40 and 41 as a different unit. The plates 19 are secured to the flanges 21. and 22 subsequent to the assembling of the wall members. The upper plates 24 may rtions 15 before inserting the member 12 into the refrigerator.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that by constructin the refrigerator walls as above described the parts thereof may be readily and uickly assembled without danger of cracking or damaging the porcelain enamel or finish of the inner and outer metallic wall members. In actual practice, it has been found that a refrigerator wall having insulation two and three-fourths inches in thickas a unit, asshown in F1ginserted between-the members .11

and spacing the be secured to the flared to each other,

IfigSS between the inner and outer wall memrs arrahge d substantially in the with insulating slabs, panels, or boards manner as hereinbefore set forth, possesses ample compressi- I bility and flexibility ordinarily necessary to take carev of manufacturing variations, to thus avoid damaging and at the same time decrease the cost of production for two main reasons: first, because the percentage of waste is lowered, and second, because the operation of assembling the wall members of the refrigerator is expe dited.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention as ap lied to a refrigerator of the domestic type, ut it is to be understood that this same wall construction may with the walls of refrigerator cars, and other refrigerating apparatus, without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An insulating unit adapted to be interthe porcelain finish,

be used in connection posed between inner and outerwalls of a refrigerator, comprlsing a plurality of comparatively stiff, slightly compressible insulating boards,

rising a plurality of substantially non-flexi- 1e insulating boards, including a board hearing directly against each of said members, and furring strips between said boards and spacing the same apart.

3. In a refrigerator inner and outer wall m'embers, a filler interposed between said members and including a plurality of insulating units each comprising a plurality of substantially non-flexible insulating boards, including a board bearing directly against each of said members, and furring strips between each of said boards same apart, the said furring strips being situated in spaced-apart relation of insulating units each comprising a pluralv and furring strips between said boards and spacing the same apart, the

and urring 7 strips between; certain surfaces of said insulating boards having spaced apart I ity of substantially non-flexible insulating boards, including a board bearing directly against each of said members, arranged side by side in spaced relation to render each unit compressible.

v 5. A refrigerator having an outer wall member and an inner wall member arranged to provide a space therebetween, and a filler interposed in said space, said filler including a plurality of insulating units each compris-,

a filler interposed in said space, said filler.

including a plurality of insulating units each comprising a plurality of substantially nonflexibleinsulating boards secured together in spaced relation and adapted to be compressed, the edges of adjacent units being adapted for interlocking engagement.

7. A- refrigerator of general rectilinear conformation, comprising a plurality of walls defined by spaced apart lnner and outer wall members arranged one within the other, each of said wall members consisting of a single iece of material, insulating units interposed tween said wall members, certain of said insulating units each consisting of a plurality of substantially non-flexible insulating boards, and means interposed between the surfaces of said insulating boards to space them apart and to rmit the said certain insulating units to yield during assembly of the wall parts.

8. A refrigerator of general rectilinear conformation, comprising a plurality of walls defined by spaced apart inner and outer wall members arranged one within the other, each of said wall members consisting of a single piece of material, insulating unitsinterposed between said wall members, certain of said insulating units each consisting of a lurality of substantially non-flexible insuating boards, including an insulating board bearing directly against each of said members, and means interposed in s ced relation between the surfaces of said insulating boards to space them apart, sets of said means between certain surfaces of said insulating boards being arranged in offset relation to sets of said means between other surfaces of said insulating boards to permit the said certain insulating units toyield during the assembly of the wall parts.

9. A refrigerator pf general rectilinear conformation, comprising a plurality of walls defined by spaced apart inner and outer wall members arranged one within the other, and filler material interposed between ing boards of each of said certain units being of stepped formation and adapted for interlocking engagement between the wall members with an adjacent insulating unit.

10. A refrigerator of general rectilinear conformation, comprising a plurality of walls defined by spaced apart inner and outer wall members arranged one within the other and both open at one side, and filler material interposed between said wall members and composed of insulating units each of certain of which consists of a plurality of substantially non-flexible insulating boards suitably secured together in spaced relation to be compressible, insulating boards of each of said certain units being of stepped formation and adapted for interlocking engagement with an adjacent insulating unit.

11. A refrigerator of general rectilinear conformation, comprising .a plurality of walls defined by spaced apart inner and outer wall members arranged one within the other, one of said walls having a door opening, filler material interposed between said wall members and composed of insulating units each of certain of which consists of a plurality of substantially non-flexible insulating boards suitably secured together in spaced relation to be compressible, insulating boards of each of said certain units being of stepped formation and adapted for interlocking engagement with an adjacent insu lating unit, and others of said insulating units comprising beveled strips fitted between the edges of a plurality of said certain units and a portion of a wall member about said door opening.

12. A refrigerator of general rectilinear conformation comprising front, rear, side, top and bottom walls defined by spaced apart inner and outer metallic wall members arranged one within the other, two of said walls having door openings, filler units interposed between said wall members, each of certain of said filler units consisting of a plurality of substantially non-flexible insulating boards suitably secured together to provide a stepped edge portion adapted to have interlocking engagement with an adjacent filler unit, and means interposed between the surfaces of contiguous insulating boards to space them apart and render each filler unit compressible between. said wall members.

13. An insulating unit adapted to be interposed between inner and outer walls of a refrigerator, comprising a plurality of substantially non-flexible insulating boa'rds arranged side by side in flat-wise relation, and

HESS.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th dayof November 1928. GEORGE ELLIS. 

